Bloc 11 Offers Tasty Eats and Coffee in a Fun Setting

I still remember the first time I went to Bloc 11 way back in the winter of 2008. The cafe had only been open a few months, but I fell in love that day and have returned more times since than I could possible count. From the high-quality coffee and food to the incredibly friendly service and the cool setting (it’s housed in an old bank, you can even sit in the vault), this is one Somerville establishment you don’t want to miss.

Located at 11 Bow St. in Union Square, Bloc 11 serves tasty breakfasts, sandwiches, soups and sweet treats as well as carefully crafted coffee drinks. They use lots of local and wholesome ingredients in their products, which is a big reason I’ve been back so many times. I know that if I go to Bloc 11, I’m going to get a high-quality meal that tastes great. The cafe also recently added a really nice outdoor seating area, so be sure to check that out if it’s a nice day.

For breakfast, the egg sandwich on rosemary focaccia bread is delicious as is the oatmeal, which you can complete with some terrific toppings, like dried cherries and maple syrup. Bloc 11 also has tons of pastries and the highly coveted (in our house anyway) Iggy’s bagels.

Lunch brings way too many delicious choices! But even with all of the yummy offerings, I almost always get the same thing: The Union salad, which comes with a bed of greens, shredded beets, a hard-boiled egg, sliced almonds and cheese cubes with a choice of chicken salad, tuna salad, tofu salad or marinated tempeh. I almost always get the curried tofu salad (and white wine dressing) and they are the perfect complements to the rest of the salad’s ingredients!

If you’re in the mood for soup, Bloc 11 always has something tasty on offer. The curry peanut is killer, so be sure to get it if they have it when you go.

Now for the drinks. Bloc 11 serves terrific coffee and espresso drinks, but my favorite thing to get there is the chai, either hot or iced. It’s oh-so-spicy and incredibly creamy all at the same time, satisfying your greatest chai cravings (am I the only one who has those?). And if you need an extra kick, order it dirty and they’ll toss a shot of espresso in for you.

If my love for Bloc 11 isn’t clear by now, it never will be. At this point, you just need to get there yourself and try it. If you go, let me know, I’d love to hear what you ordered!

I like the parking system because it added more spaces and the “head-out” requirement makes it easier to incorporate a bike sharrow along the street. This might be something they add to Magoun Square, so I thought I would ask.

I love the bike corrals, but wish they were placed in difference spots. In Ball Square, for example, putting them in the striped section by the island (where no one can park) would have been better than taking up a parking spot directly in front of a business. There is a need for much more bike parking in Davis…it’s almost as difficult as finding a spot for your car 😉

Yeah, the Union parking solution seems to make sense. It will be interesting to see how it plays out around town. And yes, parking your bike in Davis is a challenge, especially since they removed the big racks that used to be by the T near the bike path.

Welcome to the Beat

After chronicling Somerville from a local perspective for three years, Founder Elyse Andrews has embarked on a new chapter of her career. Here you'll find her 600-plus stories about Somerville as well as some updates about ongoing projects.